3  1822  00014  8940 


The  History  of  her  Plan 
and  Construction,  and 
her  Engagements  with 
the  United  States  Fleet 
March  8  and  9, 1862 


By    VIRGI1MIU8    NEWTON 
LATE  MIDSHIPMAN  CONFEDERATE  STATES  NAVY 

Reprinted  from  the  Southern  Historical  Society  Papers,  Vol.  XX 


KM4     SAH   DltCG 


3  1822  00014  8940 


® 


The 
Confederate  States  Ram 


Merrimac  or  Virginia 


The  History  of  her  Plan  and  Con- 
struction, and  her  Engagements 
.  with  the  United  States  Fleet 
March  8  and  9,  1862 

By  VIRGINIUS  NEWTON 


I.  a  t  c    VI. i  J  a  li  i  p  m  a  n    C    S.    N 1 1  y 


Krpruitrd  from  the  Southern  Historical  Society  Papera     :     Volume  Twenty 


RICHMOND.    VA. 

THE  HERMITAGE  PRESS.    1ST 

MC'MVII 


Hits.  Wtsbita* '  rttroio% 
£onfeberat    Hcunion, 

2ttch"lonb'   Da- 
ma«  50  -  3une  5 

W°7 


FKiHT   OF   T1IK   HKRKIM.VC   AND   THE   MONITOR. 


The 

Merrimac  or  Virginia 

History  of  Her  Plan,  Con- 
struction and  Engagements 


The  thirtieth  anniversary  of  the  engagements  of  the 
Merrimac  in  Hampton  Roads  is  near  at  hand.  Those  of 
ns  who  were  lads  at  that  time  are  nearing  the  fifties — have 
passed  into  "  the  sere  and  yellow  leaf  " — and  a  few  more 
years  will  have  gathered  the  last  survivors  to  the  silence 
of  the  ages.  Having  your  encouragement,  and  having  been 
an  eye-witness  and  participator  as  an  officer  of  the  Con- 
federate States  Navy  in  these  eventful  actions,  I  shall  at- 
tempt, briefly,  to  place  before  your  readers  such  facts  as 
nuiit'  within  my  observation,  which  to-day  seem  as  fresh 
and  as  vivid  as  they  did  thirty  years  ago.  May  I  "  nothing 
extenuate,  nor  set  down  aught  in  malice?" 

[3] 


4  •  Southern  Historical  Society  Papers. 

During  the  night  of  April  20,  1862,  the  United  States 
forces,  with  a  haste  that  is  inexplicable,  and  a  panic  that 
cannot  be  excused,  abandoned  the  Norfolk  navy-yard  after 
a  partial  destruction  of  the  ships,  stores  and  cannon  at  that 
depot.  It  is  estimated  that  the  Confederate  Government 
by  this  blunder  came  into  possession  of  over  $4,000,000  of 
property,  priceless  to  it  in  value,  and  obtainable  from  no 
other  place  within  its'limits.  The  cannon  and  material  of 
war  here  found,  subsequently  did  good  service  in  the  coast 
and  inland  defences  of  Virginia,  Xorth  and  South  Carolina, 
Georgia,  Florida,  Alabama,  Louisiana  and  Mississippi. 

Amongst  the  vessels  then  at  the  navy-yard,  out  of  com- 
mission, which  the  United  States  forces  set  on  fire  and 
scuttled,  was  the  United  States  frigate  Merrimac.  She 
belonged  to  the  new  class  of  forty-gun  frigates  of  3,500 
tons,  with  auxiliary  steam  power.  She  was  built  at  Charles- 
town,  Massachusetts,  in  1855,  had  made  several  cruises, 
and  upon  her  returning  from  her  last  cruise  was  put  out  of 
commission  at  the  Norfolk  yard  and  moored  alongside  the 
dock.  In  her  best  days  her  speed  under  steam  power  had 
not  exceeded  seven  miles,  and  had  run  down  to  four  or 
five  miles  per  hour  at  the  close  of  her  last  service.  Her 
machinery  and  boilers  had  been  further  damaged  at  the 
time  she  was  burned  and  scuttled. 

On  May  30th  she  was  floated  and  docked  by  the  Con- 
federates, and  became  in  time  an  ironclad  vessel  (christened 
the  Virginia — more  widely  known  as  the  Merrimac). 

THE    PROJECTOR   OF   THE    MERRIMAC    AND   THE    PLAX 

There  are  two  claimants  to  the  honor  of  the  plan — Lieu- 
tenant John  M.  Brooke,  Confederate  States  Navy,  and 
Constructor  John  L.  Porter,  Confederate  States  Navy.*    I 

♦The  Editor  would  refer  the  reader  to  the  dispassionate 
statement  of  Colonel  Brooke,  "  The  Virginia  or  Merrimac." 
Southern  Historical  Society  Papers.    Vol.  xix.  pp.  3-34. 


The  Merrimac  or  Virginia.  5 

have  no  personal  acquaintance  with  either  of  these  gentle- 
men, and  I  desire  above  all  things  to  do  injustice  to  neither. 
The  record  in  the  matter  is  made  up.  We  look  for,  we  can 
hope  for,  no  new,  no  additional  evidence.  Upon  the  state- 
ments before  us  we  must  make  our  judgment  and  give  our 
award.  with  a  desire  to  know  the  truth  and  proclaim  it. 

On  the  18th  of  March,  1862,  ten  days  subsequent  to  the 
action  in  Hampton  Roads,  the  Confederate  House  of  Repre- 
sentatives passed  and  sent  a  communication  to  the  Hon. 
S.  R.  Mallorv,  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  which  reads  as  fol- 
lows : 

"  That  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy  be  requested  to  make  a 
report  To  this  House  of  the  plan  and  construction  of  the 
Virginia,  so  far  as  the  same  can  be  properly  communicated, 
of  the  reasons  for  applying'  the  plan  to  the  Merrimac ;  and 
also  what  persons  have  rendered  especial  aid  in  designing 
and  building  the  ship." 

On  the  2iHh  of  March,  1862,  Secretary  Mallorv  replied 
to  this  message  in  a  communication  of  some  length,  the 
most  material  portions  of  which  I  shall  here  set  forth : 

1.  "  That  on  June  10,  1862,  Lieutenant  John  M.  Brooke 
was  directed  to  aid  the  Navy  Department  in  designing  an 
ironclad,  and  to  frame  the  necessary  specifications." 

2.  "  That  in  a  few  days  he  submitted  rough  drawings 
of  a  case-mated  vessel  with  submerged  ends,  and  inclined 
iron-plated  sides  which  was  approved  by  the  depart- 
ment." 

3.  '"That  Chief  Engineer  Williamson  and  Constructor 
Porter  were  ordered  io  report  in  Richmond  about  the  23rd 
of  June  for  consultation  on  the  same  subject  generally, 
and  to  aid  in  the  work." 

4.  "That  Mr.  Williamson  and  Mr.  Porter  approved  the 
plan  of  having  submerged  ends  to  obtain  rotation  and  in- 
vulnerability, and  a  clean  drawing  was  prepared  by  Mr. 
Porter  of  Lieutenant  Brool-e's  plan,  which  that  officer  then 
filed  with  the  department." 


'I  Southern  Historical  Society  Papers. 

5.  "That  the  novel  plan  of  submerging  the  ends  of  the 
fillip  and  eaves  of  the  casemate  is  the  peculiar  and  distinc- 
tive feature  of  the  Virginia,  and  was  never  before  adopted." 

6.  "  That  Mr.  Williamson,  Lieutenant  Brooke,  and  Mr. 
Porter  reported  that  the  Merrimac  could  be  utilized  for 
this  purpose,  and  recommended  the  submerged  ends  and 
inclined  casement  for  this  vessel,  which  was  adopted." 

Lieutenant  Brooke  claims  that  the  material  feature  of 
his  plan  is  that  the  bow  and  stern  shall  each  extend  under 
water  beyond  the  forward  and  after  ends  of  the  shield  or 
casemate,  to  give  the  sharpness  for  speed  and  buoyancy  to 
support  the  weight  of  iron  ;  and  a  patent  for  this  claim  was 
duly  issued  to  Lieutenant  John  M.  Brooke,  by  the  Con- 
federate Government,  July  29,  1862. 

HER   DISTINCTIVE    FEATURES. 

It  will  be  observed  in  the  above  quotations  from  Secre- 
tary Mallow's  letter  that  he  regards  the  submerged* ends  of 
the  ship  and  the  eaves  of  the  casemate  as  the  novel  and 
distinctive  feature  of  the  Merrimac.  Lieutenant  Brooke's 
patent  is  based  solely  on  this  novel  and  distinctive  feature. 
So  that  Brooke's  plan  and  the  distinctive  features  of  the 
Merrimac  are  one  and  the  same.  In  the  same  communica- 
tion of  Secretary  Mallory  to  the  Confederate  House  of 
Representatives,  in  which  he  awards  the  merit  of  the  plan 
of  the  Merrimac  to  Lieutenant  John  M.  Brooke  and  in 
response  to  that  part  of  the  resolution,  "  and  also  what  per- 
sons have  rendered  especial  aid  in  designing  and  building 
the  ship,"  the  Secretary  further  replies: 

"  Mr.  Portor  <uit  the  ship  down,  submerged  her  ends,  per- 
formed all  the  duties  of  constructor,  and  originated  all  the 
interior  arrangements,  by  which  space  has  been  economized, 
and  he  has  exhibited  energy,  ability,  and  ingenuity.  Mr. 
Williamson  thoroughly  overhauled  her  engines,  supplied 
deficiencies,  repaired  defects,  and  improved  greatly  the  mo- 
tive power  of  the  vessel." 


The  Merrimac  or  Virginia:  7 

Secretary  Mallory  further  states  that  when  Constructor 
Porter  came  to  Richmond,  as  previously  stated,  about  June 
23rd,  "  Constructor  Porter  brought  and  submitted  the 
model  of  a  flat-bottomed,  light-draught  propeller,  case- 
mated  battery,  with  inclined  iron  sides  and  ends,  which  is 
deposited  in  the  department.  Mr.  Porter  and  Lieutenant 
Brooke  have  adopted  for  their  casemate  a  thickness  of 
wood  and  iron  and  an  angle  of  inclination  nearly  identi- 
cal." It  is  to  be  presumed  that,  inasmuch  as  the  Secretary 
notes  this  similarity  between  Brooke's  plan  and  Porter's 
model,  he  would  have  noted  further  similarities  if  such  ex- 
isted, and  particularly  a  similarity  of  bow  and  stern  sub- 
merged and  extending  under  water,  which  he  regards  as 
the  distinctive  and  novel  feature  of  the  Merrimac — a 
feature  specially  covered  by  Lieutenant  Brooke's  claim  and 
patent.  We  have  here  before  us  contemporaneous  evidence 
« — the  best  of  its  kind,  and  the  best  the  subject  brings  before 
us.  If,  therefore,  Secretary  Mallory  be  a  credible  witness 
of  good  standing,  his  award  in  favor  of  Lieutenant  John 
M.  Brooke  must  stand  until  his  testimony  be  successfully 
impeached  and  shown  to  be  false. 

When  Secretary  Mallory's  report  to  the  Confederate. 
House  of  Representatives  was  made  public,  Constructor 
Porter,  in  an  open  letter,  contested  his  award  and  claimed 
solely  for  himself  the  honor  of  the  plan  and  the  building 
of  the  Merrimac.  If  he  desired  to  have  and  to  keep  this 
honor,  it  seems  to  me  that  he  should  have  vindicated  his 
claim  and  contested  the  issue  of  the  patent  to  Lieutenant 
John  M.  Brooke  at  the  time  when  the  most  material  wit- 
nesses to  the  fact  were  alive.  In  neglecting  to  do  this,  he 
materially  contributed  to  putting  his  claim  out  of 
court. 

Mr.  hiivis,  in  his  Rise  and  Fall  of  the  Confederate  Gov- 
tmment,  Lieutenant  Catesby  A.p.  P.  Jones,  and  Lieutenant 
John  Taylor  Wood  (the  two  last  officers  of  the  Merrimac), 
all  award  the  plan  to  Lieutenant  John  M.  Brooke.    In  view 


8  -Southern  Historical  Society  Papers. 

of  the  testimony  and  the  patent  granted  to  Lieutenant 
Brooke  by  the  Confederate  Government  it  would  be  impos- 
sible to  make  a  different  award ;  and  the  death  of  Secretary 
Mallory  and  Mr.  Williamson,  the  most  important  witnesses 
in  the  matter,  makes  the  possibility  of  a  reversion  appar- 
ently hopeless. 

As  early  as  1847  Mr.  Porter  seems  to  have  made  model 
of  a  casemate  iron  floating  battery,  and  it  is  evident  the 
matter  was  one  of  deep  interest  to  him.  His  familiarity 
with  the  subject  and  his  experience,  ability,  and  ingenuity, 
as  attested  by  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  was  most  potent 
in  the  construction  of  the  Merrimac.  I  well  remember  at 
the  time*  his  unwearied,  unflagging  devotion  to  the  work, 
and  I  much  doubt  whether  we  had  within  the  limits  of  the 
Confederacy  a  man  so  well  equipped  to  meet  the  necessities 
of  the  case. 

CONVERSION   OF   THE   MERRIMAC. 

The  hull  of  the  Merrimac,  when  raised  and  put  in  the 
dry-dock,  was  found  to  be  about  two  hundred  and  seventy- 
five  feet  in  length.  About  one  hundred  and  sixty  feet  of 
the  central  part  of  the  hull  was  covered  over  with  a  roof 
of  oak  and  pine  wood  twenty-two  inches  in  thickness,  in- 
clined at  an  angle  of  thirty-five  degrees.  Upon  this  struc- 
ture of  wood  four  inches  of  iron,  consisting  of  plates  about 
eight  inches  wide  and  two' inches  thick  were  bolted.  The 
first  course  of  iron  was  placed  longitudinally,  the  outer 
course  up  and  down.  The  forward  and  after  ends  of  the 
roof  wore  rounded  and  the  apex  of  the  roof  was  flat  on  top, 
about  eight  feet  wide,  and  covered  over  with  permanent 
gratings  of  two-inch  square  iron.  The  grating  was  pierced 
for  four  hatchways  to  permit  egress  from  the  gun-decks 
to  the  grating,  or  outside  of  the  ship,  where  alone  was  there 
standing  room  on  the  outside.  That  part  of  the  ship's  bow 
and  stern  not  covered  by  the  casemate  (about  fifty-eight 
feet  at  each  end)  was  covered  with  decking  planks  and  was 


Hi e  Merrimac  or  Virginia.  9 

under  water.  The  vessel,  when  in  fighting  trim,  had  much, 
the  appearance  of  the  roof  of  a  house  afloat.  Her  prow 
was  of  cast-iron,  projected  two  feet  from  the  stem,  was 
under  Avater  two  feet,  and  weighed  one  thousand  five  hun- 
dred pounds.  Her  battery  consisted  of  four  Brooke  rifle- 
guns  and  six  nine-inch  Dahlgren  shell-guns.  Her  engines 
and  steam  power  were  inadequate.  They  were  deficient  in 
her  best  days.  Time  had  not  improved  them,  and  with  all 
our  efforts  they  continued  to  be  defective  and  a  source  of 
anxiety  to  the  last.  To  the  future  historian  of  the  South 
one  of  the  most  remarkable  phases  of  our  struggle  will  be, 
how  a  people  so  unused  to  arts  and  manufactures,  so  poorly 
equipped  with'  tools  and  shops  and  materials,  could  have 
accomplished  what  they  did.  Delays  and  obstacles  of  all 
sorts  impeded  the  construction  of  the  vessel.  All  the  plates ' 
of  iron  for  the  casemate  had  to  be  rolled  at  the  Tredegar 
in  Richmond  and  shipped  to  Norfolk.  Each  step  towards 
completion  seemed  to  but  to  disclose  new  obstacles,  not  the 
least  of  which  was  to  secure  a  crew.  We  had  no  merchant 
marine  and  but  few  sailors.  Some  few  were  secured  after 
the  defeat  and  dispersion  of  our  gunboats  at  Roanoke 
Island ;  some  as  volunteers  from  our  army,  and  a  detain- 
ment from  the  Xorfolk  United  Artillery  brought  the  num- 
ber up  to  three  hundred  and  twenty  men.  They  proved  to  be 
as  gallant  and  trusty  a  body  of  men  as  any  one  would  wish 
to  command;  but  what  a  contrast  they  made  to  a  crew  of 
trained  jack  tars!  The  United  States  Government  were 
duly  informed  by  spies  of  the  completion  of  the  Merrimac, 
but  to  deceive  them  the  Xorfolk  papers  of  March  6th  gave 
out  that  the  new  vessel  had  proved  to  be  a  failure  and  a 
great  disappointment  to  her  projectors.  I  doubt  much 
whether  they  relied  upon  our  statements,  for  on  March 
7th  Mr.  Welles,  Secretary  of  the  United  States  Navy,  wrote 
to  Captain  John  Marston,  United  States  Navy,  command- 
ing at  Fortress  Monroe:  "  Send  the  St.  Lawrence,  Con- 
gress,  and    Cumberland    immediately    into   the    Potomac 


]<»  Southern  Historical  Society  Pttfers. 

river.  Use  steam  to  tow  them  up.  Let  there  he  no  delay." 
This  order  was  modified  by  telegram  of  March  8th  from 
Secretary  Welles  to  Captain  Itarston,  as  follows:  "The 
Assistant-Secretary  of  the  Navy  will  be  at  Old  Point  by 
the  Baltimore  boat  this  evening.  Do  not  move  the  ships 
until  further  orders,  which  he  will  carry."  Had  the  first 
order  been  executed  .and  these  vessels  moved  up  the  Poto- 
mac river  the  victory  of  the  Merrimac  would  have  been 
shorn  of  its  chief  triumphs. 

THE   ACTION   OF    SATURDAY,    MARCH    8,    1862. 

On  this  day  the  United  States  Government  had  at  anchor 
in  Hampton  Roads,  near  Fort  Monroe,  besides  twelve  gun- 
boats, mounting  from  one  to  five  guns,  the  frigates  Roa- 
noke (forty  guns),  Minnesota  (forty-eight  guns),  St.  Law- 
rence (fifty  guns),  Brandywine  (fifty  guns),  and  the 
frigates  Congress  (fifty  guns)  and  Cumberland  (thirty 
guns)  lying  at  Newport  News  under  the  guns  of  a  strongly- 
fortified  land  battery.  Without  a  trial  trip,  with  workmen 
on  board  up  to  the  last  minute,  with  a  crew  and  officers 
strangers  to  each  other  and  to  the  ship,  with  no  opportunity 
to  get  things  into  shape  or  to  drill  the  men  at  the  guns 
or  instruct  them  in  their  various  duties,  the  Merrimac, 
under  command  of  Captain  Franklin  Buchanan,  at  11 
A.  M.  of  March  8th,  cast  loose  from  the  navy-yard  and 
started  on  her  venture  in  the  game  of  war,  attended  by  the 
gunboats  Beaufort  (Captain  W.  H.  Parker)  and  Raleigh 
(Captain  J.  W.  Alexander).  These  two  vessels  mounted 
but  one  gun  each  (a  banded  rifled  thirty-two-pounder,  for 
which  we  are  indebted  to  the  inventive  genius  of  Captain 
Archibald  Fairfax,  Confederate  States  Navy),  and  were 
the  sole  survivors  of  our  disaster  at  Roanoke  Island.  As 
we  passed  the  wharves  of  Portsmouth  and  Norfolk  we  dis- 
covered the  landings  to  be  well  crowded  with  men,  women, 
and  children,  who  gave  us  salutation,  but  seemed  too  deeply 
moved  by  the  gravity  of  the  moment  to  break  into  cheers. 


The  Merrimac  or  Virginia.  11 

.U  this  time  the  Merrimac  was  drawing  twenty-two  feet 
aft  and  twenty-one  forward,  and  seemed  to  be  making  a 
speed  of  four  and  one-half  miles.  The  two  gunboats,  whose 
ordinary  speed  was  about  seven  miles  an  hour,  kept  along 
with  her  under  nearly  half  speed.  All  went  well  until  we 
were  abreast  of  Craney  Island  (five  miles  from  Norfolk), 
when  the  Merrimac  was  so  near  the  bottom  that  she  would 
not  answer  her  helm.  The  Beaufort,  being  called  to  her 
assistance,  took  a  hawser  from  her  &nd  towed  her  past 
Craney-Island  light,  where,  the  water  getting  deeper,  we 
let  her  go.  The  gunboats  drew  but  eight  feet  of  water  and 
were  able  to  cut  across  the  flats  of  Craney  Island,  whilst 
the  Merrimac  had  to  keep  the  channel  until  abreast  of  our 
batteries  at  SewelPs  Point,  at  which  position  she  could  turn 
up  the  south  channel  of  James  river,  making  the  distance 
to  Newport  News  about  four  or  five-  miles  further.  The 
day  was  fresh  and  clear,  and  we  could  see  the  Congress  and 
Cumberland  lying  quietly  at  anchor  off  the  land  batteries 
at  Newport  News,  apparently  so  unexpectant  of  danger 
that  their  boats  were  swinging  at  the  lower  booms  and 
washed  clothes  were  hanging  in  the  rigging.  As  the  Merri- 
mac headed  up  the  south  channel,  in  a  moment  inactivity 
gave  place  to  stir  and  bustle.  The  evidences  of  "wash- 
day" quickly  disappeared;  the  boats  were  brought  along- 
side and  hoisted,  booms  were  swung  in.  and  both  ships 
cleared  for  action.  The  Beaufort  and  "Raleigh  steamed 
at  half  speed  across  the  flais  awaiting  the  detour  of  the 
Merrimac.  At  about  2.20  P.  M.  the  Beaufort,  having  got 
within  range,  opened  the  action  with  a  shot  at  the  Con- 
gress, and  attended  by  the  Paleigh  slowly  approached  the 
enemy  until  a  favorable  position  on  the  quarter  of  the  Con- 
gress was  secured  and  maintained  until  this  vessel  was  sur- 
rendered. 

THE    GREAT    NAVAL   FIGHT. 

At  about  2.40  P.  M.  the  Merrimac.  having  reaehed  posi- 
tion, went  into  action.     In  passing  the  Congress  she  fired 


12  Southern  Historical  Society  Papers. 

her  starboard  broadside  at  this  vessel,  and,  receiving  hers 
in  return  without  damage,  made  directly  for  the  Cumber- 
land, then  in  position  off  the  upper  end  of  the  land  battery. 
It  appears  that  the  Cumberland,  to  prevent  being  rammed 
or  to  ward  off  floating  torpedoes,  had  endeavored  to  secure 
protection  by  placing  a  raft  of  a  few  heavy  spars  at  her 
bow.  Dashing  through  these  the  prow  of  the  Merrimac 
struck  the  side  of  the  Cumberland,  at  right  angles,  under 
the  fore-rigging,  on  the  starboard  side.  Lieutenant 
Catesby  Jones,  the  executive  officer  of  the  Merrimac,  says : 
"  The  noise  of  crashing  timbers  was  heard  above  the  din  of 
battle.  There  was  no  sign  of  the  hole  above  water.  It  must 
have  been  large,  for  the  vessel  soon  began  to  careen.  The 
shock  to  us  was  slight.  Backing  off  from  the  sinking  ves- 
sel, we  headed  up  the  James  river  to  turn  round  and  en- 
gage the  Congress."  To  do  this,  a  most  tedious  movement, 
the  Merrimac  had  twice  to  pass  within  close  range  of  the 
shore  batteries.  They  opened  a  heavy  fire  upon  her,  but 
with  little  or  no  damage,  as  such  shot  and  shell  as  struck 
her  sides  took  the  angle  of  inclination  and  went  up  in  the 
air. 

THE    CUMBERLAND   SUNK. 

In  the  meantime  the  Cumberland,  though  visibly  ca- 
reening and  settling  in  the  water,  continued  her  fire.  As 
the  advancing  water  drove  the  men  from  the  gun-deck  they 
took  refuge  on  the  spar-deck  and  opened  fire  upon  us  with 
her  pivot-guns.  Lieutenant  George  IT.  Morris,  her  execu- 
tive officer  in  command  (Captain  Radford  being  absent  on 
duty),  says  in  his  official  report:  "At  3.30  P.  M.  the  water 
had  gained  upon  us,  notwithstanding  the  pumps  were  ac- 
tively at  work,  to  a  degree  that  the  forward  magazine  being 
drowned  we  had  to  take  powder  from  the  after  magazine 
for  the  ten-inch  gun.  At  3.35  P.  M.  the  water  had  risen 
to  the  main  hatchway  and  the  ship  canted  to  port,  and 
we  delivered  a  parting  fire,  each  man  trying  to  save  himself 


The  Merrimac  or  Virginia.  13 

by  jumping  overboard.  Timely  notice  was  given  and  all 
the  wounded  who  could  walk  were  ordered  out  of  the  cock- 
pit, but  those  of  the  wounded  in  the  sick  bay  and  on  the 
berth-deck  were  so*  mangled  that  it  was  impossible  to  save 
them.  "We  have  lost  upward  of  one  hundred  men.  All 
did  their  duty,  and  we  sank  with  the  American  flag  flying 
at  our  peak."  No  ship  was  ever  better  handled  or  more 
bravely  fought. 

At  this  period  of  the  action  the  James-river  fleet,  com- 
posed of  the  Patrick  Henry,  Captain  J.  K.  Tucker ;  James- 
town, Lieutenant  J.  N.  Barney,  and  the  Teaser,  Lieutenant 
W.  A.  Webb,  ran  by  the  batteries  at  Newport  News  under 
a  heavy  fire,  with  some  loss,  and  gallantly  joining  the  fleet 
from  Norfolk,  rendered  material  aid  during  the  remainder 
of  the  action. 

DISABLED   AND  AGROUND. 

The  Congress  being  under  the  fire  of  the  Beaufort  and 
Ealeigh,  and  at  times  of  the  Merrimac  as  she  slowly  exe- 
cuted the  movement  of  turning,  seeing  the  fate  of  the  Cum- 
berland, slipped  her  cable,  loosed  her  foretop  sail,  ran  up 
her  jib,  and,  with  the  assistance  of  the  tag-boat  Zouave, 
either  endeavored  to  escape  or  to  get  into  shoal  water,  but 
in  doing  so  grounded,  head  inshore,  in  which  position  she 
could  bring  only  her  stern  guns  into  action.  The  Merri- 
mac having  by  this  time  headed  round,  and  being  in  posi- 
tion, about  two  hundred  yards  astern  of  the  Congress,  with 
the  Beaufort,  Ilaleigh  and  James  river  fleet,  concentrated 
a  most  destructive  fire  upon  her.  Having  already  suffered 
much  loss  and  damage  from  our  shot  and  shell  with  no 
possible  hope  of  succor,  her  commander  (Lieutenant  Jo- 
seph B.  Smith  having  been  killed,  and  each  moment  adding 
to  the  already  large  number  of  killed  and  wounded),  Lieu- 
tenant Pendergrast,  most  wisely,  about  4  P.  M.  ran  up  a 
white  flag  at  the  fore  and  main  masts  in  token  of  surrender. 

Upon  seeing  this,  the  Beaufort  being  then  close  in  action 


14  Southern  Historical  Society  Papers. 

lowered  a  boat  and  sent  Midshipmen  Charles  K.  Mallory 
and  Ivey  Foreman  (acting  volunteer)  with  a  crew  to  take 
possession  of  the  prize  and  bring  her  commander  aboard 
the  Beaufort.  At  this  moment  the  Merrimac  signalled 
the  Beaufort  to  come  within  hail.  We  did  so,  and  were 
then  instructed  by  Commodore  Buchanan  to  board  the 
Congress,  take  the  officers  and  wounded  prisoners,  permit 
the  others  to  escape  to  the  shore,  and  then  burn  the  ship,. 
As  we  got  under  the  port  broadside  of  the  Congress  (our 
little  craft  looking  like  a  cockleshell  by  contrast)  we  noted 
that  the  Stars  and  Stripes  (subsequently  hauled  down  and 
thrown  aboard  the  Beaufort  by  Midshipman  Foreman) 
were  still  flying  from  her  peak,  and  we  had  some  doubt 
whether  her  white  flags  meant  truce  or  a  surrender. 

Making  fast  to  the  port  side  of  the  Congress,  Captain 
Parker  sent  word  to  the  commanding  officer  to  come  on 
board  the  Beaufort,  and  at  the  same  time  directed  some 
of  his  crew  to  board  the  vessel  and  assist  in  removing  the 
wounded. 

TERRIBLE  'CARNAGE. 

Your  correspondent  gained  the  decks  of  the  Congress, 
and  has  to  this  day  a  vivid  remembrance  of  the  scene.  He 
has  had  no  opportunity  of  comparing  a  battle  field  with 
an  action  on  the  water,  but  if  the  carnage  of  the  former 
be  greater  he  has  no  desire  to  witness  it.  •  Confusion,  death 
and  pitiable  suffering  reigned  supreme,  and  the  horrors  of 
war  quenched  the  passion  and  enmity  of  months. 

Lieutenant  Pendergrast,  in  command  of  the  Congress, 
and  Captain  William  Smith,  acting  as  volunteer,  had  gone 
aboard  the  Beaufort  and  surrendered  their  swords  to  Cap- 
tain Parker  and  were  instructed  to  return  to  the  ship  and 
transfer  their  wounded  with  dispatch  to  our  vessel.  At 
the  same  time  the  Raleigh  (Captain  Alexander)  camo 
alongside  the  Beaufort  and  reported  for  duty  and  was  di- 
rected to  board  the  Congress  on  the  other  side  and  assist 


The  Merrimac  or  Virginia.  15 

in  removing  the  wounded.  Those  of  us  who  were  aboard 
the  Congress  were  suddenly  summoned  to  the  Beaufort  by 
the  blowing  of  her  whistle. 

TREACHERY   AND   DISHONER. 

We  quickly  descended  the  sides  of  the  ship  and  landed 
on  the  decks  of  the  Beaufort,  to  find  that  the  enemy  on 
shore,  disregarding  our  errand  of  mercy  and  the  white 
flags  on  the  Congress,  had  opened  fire  upon  us  with  in- 
fantry. We  were,  within  two  hundred  yards  of  the  shore, 
so  near  that  I  could  plainly  see  the  faces  of  the  men.  The 
fire  was  most  destructive,  the  first  discharge  killing  Mid- 
shipman Hutter  and  mortally  wounding  Lieutenant  Taylor, 
acting  as  volunteers  on  the  Ealeigh,  besides  killing  some 
eight  or  ten  of  the  men  of  the  Congress  on  the  decks  of  the 
Beaufort  and  wounding  many  others.  The  forward  cabin 
of  the  Beaufort  was  riddled  with  balls  and  her  smoke-stack 
was  perforated  through  and  through  so  as  to  look  some- 
what like  a  sieve.  Why  every  man  on  her  decks  was  not 
slain  or  wounded  is  one  of  those  phenomena  which  battles 
alone  reveal.  Finding  no  cessation  to  this  fire,  but  rather 
an  augmentation,  the  Beaufort  and  Ealeigh  having  taken 
some  thirty  prisoners  and  stands  of  arms,  backed  off  from 
the  Congress  and  opened  fire  upon  the  shore,  but  with 
little  or  no  damage,  as  the  enemy  were  protected  by  breast- 
works. 

MINOR   AND   BUCHANAN   WOUNDED. 

Time  sufficient  having  elapsed  for  the  Beaufort  to  exe- 
cute her  orders  if  no  hindrance  intervened,  Commodore 
Buchanan  noting  that  the  Congress  was  not  on  fire,  and 
fearing  an  attempt  at  recapture  by  the  United  States  fleet 
from  Old  Point,  said  in  the  presence  of  his  flag  lieutenant, 
R.  D.  Minor,  "  that  ship  must  be  burned."  Minor  instantly 
volunteered  for  the  duty,  and  the  Teaser  was  ordered  to 
cover  the  attempt.     Choosing  the  starboard  side  of  the 


1G  Southern  Historical  Society  Papers. 

Congress  as  more  protected,  Minor,  with  a  boat's  crew, 
started  to  execute  the  order,  but  had  hardly  gotten  within 
fifty  yards  of  the  vessel,  when  fire  was  again  opened  upon 
him  both  from  the  shore  and  the  vessel,  wounding  him 
severely  and  several  of  his  men.  Commodore  Buchanan 
observing  the  failure  of  the  attempt,  recalled  the  boat  and 
gave  orders  to  set  the  Congress  on  fire  with  hot  shot  and 
shell,  but  at  this  moment  he,  too,  was  severely  wounded  by 
a  shot  from  the  shore,  though  the  Merrimac  was  several 
hundred. yards  further  away,  and  the  command  of  the  Mer- 
rimac devolved  upon  Lieutenant  Catesby  Ap.  R.  Jones. 

THE   RESPONSIBLE   PARTY. 

It  is  undoubtedly  permissible  in  war  to  make  recapture, 
but  it  can  never  be  justifiable  when  the  sacrifice  of  life 
which  it  requires  must  be  borne  alike  by  friend  and  foe. 
A  moment's  reflection  on  the  part  of  the  officer  in  com- 
mand at  Newport  News  would  have  convinced  him  of  this 
fact,  so  that  the  responsibility  for  the  men  of  the  Congress 
killed  on  the  decks  of  the  Beaufort,  and  the  further  loss 
of  life  on  this  vessel  occasioned  by  our  firing  upon  her  with 
hot  shot  and  shell  must  be  upon  him.  I  find  that  Briga- 
dier General  Joseph  I\.  F.  Mansfield,  United  States  army, 
then  in  command  at  Newport  News,  is  responsible  for  the 
execution  of  this  order.  (Rebellion  Records,  Series  1,  vol. 
ix,  page  5.) 

ALL  ASHORE. 

So  soon  as  the  Merrimac  had  disclosed  the  object  of  her 
attack  to  be  the  frigates  at  Newport  News,  the  Union  fleet 
at  Fort  Monroe  (the  frigates  Minnesota,  St.  Lawrence, 
Eoanoke,  and  several  gunboats)  got  under  way  to  give 
aid  to  their  sorely-stricken  consorts.  By  a  coincidence, 
which  is  the  more  singular  from  its  repetition,  the  Minne- 
sota grounded  one  and  a  half  miles  to  eastward  of  New- 
port News,  the  St.  Lawrence  grounded  in  rear  of  the  Min- 


The  Merrimac  or  Virginia.  17 

nesota,  and  the  Roanoke  further  to  the  eastward  still.  In 
this  isolation  they  could  give  no  aid,  and  only  at  the  close 
of  the  day  came  under  fire.  Lest  it  should  be  thought 
that  I  purpose  a  reflection  upon  the  courage  of  the  officer* 
in  command  of  these  stranded  vessels,  I  here  take  occasion 
to  say  that  their  character  as  officers  of  skill,  experience,, 
and  bravery  was  well  established  at  the  time,  and  suffered 
no  diminution  then  or  thereafter.  "  To  point  the  moral 
and  adorn  the  tale,"  let  me  use  the  language  of  Lieutenant 
John  Taylor  Wood  upon  a  like  occasion:  "All  officers,  as- 
far  as  possible,  should  learn  to  do  their  own  piloting." 

The  Merrimac  having  given  the  coup  de  grace  to  the 
Congress,  now,  about  five  P.  M.,  with  the  Beaufort, 
Raleigh,  and  James  River  fleet,  moved  down  to  do  battle 
with  the  three  remaining  frigates  ashore,  and  the  gunboats. 
To  do  this  it  was  necessary  to  place  the  Merrimac  in  the 
north  channel,  so  that  close  range  might  be  had.  The 
Minnesota  was  a  sister  ship  to  the  Merrimac  and  drew 
about  as  much  water.  It  was  therefore  hoped  that,  without 
danger  of  putting  the  Merrimac  ashore,  she  could  yet  get  at 
such  close  quarters  as  to  compel  a  surrender  within  a  short 
period  of  time.  When,  however,  this  was  attempted  the  pi- 
lots of  the  Merrimac  declined  to  take  the  risk  of  putting 
the  ship  nearer,  stating  that  the  condition  of  the  tide  and 
the  approach  of  night  made  it  both  difficult  and  dangerous. 
At  long  range,  therefore,  the  Merrimac  and  her  attendant* 
opened  fire  on  the  Minnesota  and  continued  the  action  until 
the  approach  of  night. 

WITHDREW. 

We  withdrew  most  reluctantly  when  further  victory 
seemed  so  nearly  in  our  grasp.  Some  damage  we  had  done, 
but  by  no  means  commensurate  with,  our  wishes.  The 
Minnesota  had  been  struck  some  fifteen  times,  her  interior 
was  much  damaged,  partition  and  bulkheads  were  knocked 
down  or  blown  into  one  by  the  explosion  of  our  shells.     In 


18  Southern  LLiatorical  iSutiety  Papers. 

retiring  to  our  anchorage  by  the  south  channel  we  came 
within  long  range  of  the  three  frigates  and  received  some 
broadsides  from  them,  but  without  damage,  as  the  distance 
was  too  great.  The  sight  was  a  pretty  one,  and  the  St. 
Lawrence,  in  particular,  at  nightfall  made  a  simultaneous 
discharge  of  her  port  broadside,  which  lit  up  for  a  moment 
the  entire  scene,  in  which  she  stood  forth  as  sharply  de- 
fined as  in  a  clear  day.  We  anchored  that  night  off 
Sewell's  Point,  in  the  full  glare  of  the  burning  Congress, 
fired  by  our  shell  and  hot  shot,  though  Medical-Director 
Shippen,  who  was  aboard  the  Congress,  says  "  the  ship  was 
on  fire  in  three  places  early  in  the  action;  that  two  of  the 
fires  were  put  out,  but  the  third,  near  the  powder  magazine, 
was  not  extinguished  until  the  ship  blew  up  about  2  A.  M. 

THE  LOSS. 

The  loss  in  the  Cumberland  is  reported  by  Federal  ac- 
count at  one  hundred  and  twenty-one  killed  and  drowned; 
in  the  Congress,  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  killed,  wound- 
ed and  missing.  No  report  is  made  of  the  Minnesota,  though 
she,  too,  had  some  killed  and  wounded.  In  the  Confederate 
fleet  we  had  some  forty-five  killed  and  wounded,  the  larger 
number  of  killed  being  on  our  wooden  vessels.  Exhausted 
with  the  nervous  strain  of  the  day,  we  slept  soundly  that 
night,  anticipating  a  similar  career  of  victory  for  the 
morrow. 

The  Monitor  (or  Ericsson)  had  been  built  in  one  hun- 
dred days  especially  to  meet  the  Merrimac.  She  arrived  at 
Fort  Monroe  at  9  P.  M.  of  March  8th.  Secretary  Welles 
had  telegraphed  Commodore  Paulding  at  the  New  York 
yard  March  6th  :  "  Let  the  Monitor  come  direct  to  Wash- 
ington, anchoring  below.  Alexandria."  Similar  orders  had 
been  sent  to  Captain  John  Marston,  United  States  Navy,  at 
Fort  Monroe.  Marston  took  upon  himself  the  responsi- 
bility of  disobeying,  and  kept  the  Monitor  in  Hampton 


The  Merrimac  or  Virginia.  19 

Roads.  Had  Secretary  Welles'  order  been  obeyed,  the 
Merrimac  on  the  9th  would  have  captured  not  only  the 
Minnesota,  St.  Lawrence  and  Roanoke,  but  every  vessel 
that  remained  inside  of  Fortress  Monroe.  In  the  engage- 
ment of  the  8th  the  Merrimac  had  lost  her  prow  in  striking 
the  Cumberland;,  two  of  her  guns  had  been  disabled,  so  as 
to  be  useless,  by  shot  from  the  Cumberland,  and  her  smoke- 
stack and  steampipe  had  been  so  riddled  that  it  was  diffi- 
cult to  keep  up  sufficient  steam.  In  this  plight  she  was  to 
meet  her  antagonist.  At  daylight  on  the  9th  we  discovered 
that  the  frigates  Roanoke  and  St.  Lawrence  had  been 
floated  and  moved  to  Old  Point,  but  the  Minnesota  was  yet 
aground  in  the  same  position.  Near  her  we  discovered  an 
object  like  a  raft,  floating  low  in  the  water,  with  smoke-, 
stack  and  turret  amidships. 

THE    FIGHT. 

Closer  inspection  convinced  us  it  was  (Ericsson's  Bat- 
tery) the  Monitor.  Having  sent  our  wounded  ashore  we 
moved  out  into  the  Roads,  to  resume  the  engagement  at  8 
A.  M.  The  Merrimac  being  in  advance,  our  wooden  vessels 
in  the  rear,  to  take  part  if  occasion  should  offer.  Lieu- 
tenant .lours,  then  in  command  of  the  Merrimac,  says  of 
this  engagement : 

"  We  stood  for  the  Minnesota  and  opened  fire.  Our 
pilots  were  to  have  placed  M  within  half  a  mile  of  her,  but 
at  no  time  were  we  nearer  than  a  mile.  At  one  third  of  a 
mile's  distance  the  monitor  opened  upon  as.  We  rapidly 
approached  each  other,  and  at  times  were  only  a  ship's 
length  apart.  Once  we  fired  a  broadside  at  her  only  a  few 
yards  distant.  She  and  her  turtvt  wen-  under  perfect  con- 
trol. Once  she  took  a  position  where  we  could  not  bring  a 
gun  to  bear  upon  her.  Another  movement,  which  gave  us 
great  anxiety,  was  an  attempt  to  run  afoul  of  our  rudder 
and  propeller,  which  could  easily  have  been  disabled.     Her 


20  Southern  Historical  Society  Papers. 

guns  were  seen  only  at  the  moment  of  discharge — this  done, 
her  turret  revolved,  shutting  them  out  of  view.  We  had 
no  solid  shot,  and  our  shell  had  no  effect  upon  her.  With 
all  our  caution  we  ran  aground,  and  remained"  so  for  a 
quarter  of  an  hour.  Finding  we  could  make  no  impression 
with  our  shell,  we  determined  if  possible  to  run  her  down." 
Of  this  attempt  Lieutenant  Wood,  of  the  Merrimac,  says : 
"  For  an  hour  we  manoeuvred  for  position.  Now  go 
ahead !  Now  stop !  Now  astern !  The  Merrimac  was 
as  unweildy  as  Noah's  ark.  At  last  an  opportunity  offered, 
but  before  we  had  sufficient  headway  the  Monitor  sheered 
off,  and  our  disabled  ram  gave  a  glancing  blow,  which  did 
no  apparent  harm." 

Within  a  few  moments  after  this  collision  the  Monitor 
made  her  first  withdrawal  from  the  action.  The  Merri- 
mac now  resumed  her  fire  at  the  Minnesota,  doing  her 
serious  injury  and  blowing  up  the  boiler  of  a  tug  alongside. 
The  Monitor  returned  to  the  action,  and  taking  a  position 
with  her  bow  against  the  Merrimac,  fired  twice  at  this  dis- 
tance. The  impact  of  these  shots  forced  the  side  of  the 
Merrimac  in  two  or  three  inches,  and  the  concussion 
knocked  down  all  the  men  at  the  after  pivot  gun,  many  of 
whom  bled  from  the  nose  or  ears.  "  The  action  had  now 
continued  some  three  hours,"  says  Lieutenant  Jones,  "  with- 
out apparent  injury  to  the  Monitor.  We  were  therefore 
surprised  to  see  her  run  off  into  shoal  water,  where  our 
great  draught  would  not  permit  us  to  follow."  This  second 
withdrawal  was  most  probably  coincident  with  the  following 
fact,  given  by  Lieutenant  S.  Dana  Green,  the  executive 
officer  of  the  Monitor,  page  725-727,  "  Battles  and  Leaders 
of  the- Civil  War"  volume  I.     Lieutenant  Green  says: 

ANOTHER  ACCOUNT. 

"  Soon  after  noon  a  shell  from  the  Merrimac's  gun,  the 
muzzle  of  which  was  not  ten  yards  distant,  struck  the  for- 
ward side  of  the  pilot-house  (of  the  Monitor)  directly  in 


The  Merrimac  or  Virginia.  21 

the  sight-hole,  and  exploded.  Captain  Worden  was  stand- 
ing immediately  behind  this  spot  and  received  in  his  face 
the  force  of  the  blow,  which  partially  stunned  him,  and 
filling  his  eyes  with  powder,  utterly  blinded  him.  Worden, 
blinded  as  he  was,  believed  the  pilot-house  to  be  severely 
injured,  if  not  destroyed.  He,  therefore,  gave  the  orders 
to  put  the  helm  to  starboard  and  'sheer  off/  Thus  the 
Monitor  temporarily  retired  from  the  action  to  ascertain 
the  extent  of  the  injuries  she  had  received." 

Lieutenant  Greene,  then  succeeding  to  the  command, 
continues  his  account.  "  In  the  confusion  of  the  moment 
the  Monitor  had  been  moving  without  direction.  Exactly 
how  much  time  elapsed  from  the  moment  that  Worden  was 
wounded  until  I  had  reached  the  pilot-house  and  completed 
the  examination  of  the  injury  at  that  point,  and  deter- 
mined what  course  to  pursue,  it  is  impossible  to  state;  but 
it  could  hardly  have  exceeded  twenty  minutes." 

Lieutenant  Greene  admits  that  being  summoned  to  Wor- 
den, "  he  found  him  standing  at  the  foot  of  the  ladder 
leading  to  the  pilot-house,  and  that  he  assisted  in  leading 
him  to  a  sofa  in  the  cabin,  and  then  assumed  the  com- 
mand." If  he  had  contented  himself  with  his  statement, 
"  it  is  impossible  to  state  the  time,"  and  had  not  attempted 
to  qualify  it  with  "hardly  exceeded  twenty  minutes,"  he 
would  have  been  more  accurate. 

THE  MONITOR  WITHDREW. 

\-  an  officer  of  the  Beaufort,  and  in  close  proximity  to 
the  engagement,  though  not  in  the  melee,  for  none  of  our 
wooden  gunboats  took  active  part  in  this  day's  fight,  I  am 
justified  in  making  the  statement  that  the  Monitor  retired 
from  the  field  on  this  her  second  withdrawal  from  three 
quarters  to  an  hour.  I  shall  not  pretend  to  say  that  this 
i-  aWsolutely  accurate,  for  I  did  not  take  the  actual  time, 
Vm  t  I  do  say  it  was  sufficiently  long  to  justify  the  opinion 


22  Southern  Historical  Society  Papers. 

then  formed  that  she  had  withdrawn  from  the  action  for 
the  day. 

There  can  be  no  question  at  this  day  on  the  point — which 
of  the  two  vessels  first  withdrew  from  the  action.  The  offi- 
cial report  of  Captain  Van  Brunt,  of  the  Minnesota,  dis- 
closes the  retirement  of  the  Monitor,  and  Lieutenant 
Greene,  her  executive,  admits  that  she  withdrew  twice  from 
the  engagement — once  to  hoist  into  the  turret,  and  again 
when  Worden  was  wounded — page  725-727,  Battles  and 
Leaders  of  the  Civil  }\'ar,  volume  I. 

Lieutenant  Ap.  Catesby  Jones,  of  the  Merrimac,  con- 
cludes his  statement  of  the  engagement  of  March  9th  in 
these  words : 

"  We  for  some  time  awaited  the  return  of  the  Monitor  to 
the  Eoads.  The  loss  of  our  prow  and  anchor,  consumption 
of  coal,  water,  etc.,  had. lightened  us  so  that  the  lower  part 
of  the  forward  end  of  the  shield  was  awash.  After  consul- 
tation, it  was  decided  that  we  should  proceed  to  the  navy- 
yard,  that  the  vessel  might  be  brought  down  in  the  water 
and  completed.  The  pilots  said,  if  we  did  not  go  then  we 
could  not  pass  the  bar  until  noon  of  the  next  day.  We, 
therefore,  at  12  M.  quit  the  Roads  and  stood  for  Norfolk. 
Had  there  been  any  sign  of  the  Monitor's  willingness  to  re- 
new the  contest  we  would  have  remained  to  fight  her. 
We  left  her  in  the  shoal  water  to  which  she  had  withdrawn, 
and  which  she  did  not  leave  until  after  we  had  crossed  the 
bar  on  our  way  to  Norfolk." 

I  have  a  distinct  recollection  that  at  this  time,  when  the 
Merrimac  had  crossed  the  bar,  and  was  well  on  her  way  to 
Norfolk,  the  Monitor,  being  then  in  shoal  water  on  Hamp- 
ton bar.  fired  a  gun,  but  apparently  made  no  motion  to 
come  into  deep  water. 

Thus  ended  this  famous  engagement,  in  what  may  fairly 
be  called  a  drawn  battle.  Either  adversary  seemed  power- 
less to  vanquish  the  other.  Yet  the  Monitor  in  equipment, 
invulnerability,  speed,  draught  of  water  and  manageable- 


The  Merrimac  or  Virginia.  23 

riess  was  far  the  superior  of  the  Merrimac.  She  was  put 
into  the  fight  to  vanquish  the  Merrimac  and  protect  the 
Minnesota;  she  failed  in  the  former  and  succeeded  in  the 
latter  purpose. 

EFFECT  OF  THE  ENGAGEMENTS  OF  MARCH  8  AND  9,  1862. 

Outside  of  the  immediate  results  of  these  engagements, 
the  destruction  of  the  frigates  Cumberland  and  Congress, 
and  complete  panic  in  the  United  States  fleet  at  Fort  Mon- 
roe, the  indirect  result  of  checking  the  advance  of  McClel- 
lan  upon  Richmond,  by  which  we  were  enabled  to  complete 
the  defences  of  that  city  and  James  river,  was  one  of  great 
moment  to  the  Confederacy.  The  powerful  navies  of  Eng- 
land and  France  were  brushed  aside  in  a  moment.  The 
London  Times  in  a  note  of  warning  said :  "  Out  of  one 
hundred  and  forty-nine  first  class  war-ships  we  have  now 
but  two  vessels  that  it  would  not  be  madness  to  trust  to  an 
engagement  with  that  little  Monitor."  Both  nations,  and 
other  maritime  powers,  with  a  speed,  ingenuity  and  lavish 
expenditure  of  money,  which  is  unchecked  even  at  this  day, 
hastened  to  equip  themselves  to  meet  the  requirements  of 
modern  naval  warfare.  The  whole  seaboard  of  the  North 
went  into  a  panic  which  lasted  for  weeks,  and  gave  birth  to 
fears  which  now  seem  ludicrous. 

Taking  with  us  the  fact  that  the  Merrimac  was  the  hasty 
creation  of  an  extreme  necessity,  the  most  unwieldly  struc- 
ture that  ever  was  built,  utterly  inadequate  to  float  outside 
the  capes  of  Virginia  half  an  hour  in  the  least  seaway,  or 
to  live  through  an  ordinary  easterly  blow  in  Hampton 
Eoads,  one  can  scarcely  repress  a  smile  in  reading  the 
Federal  telegrams  of  that  day. 

WELLES'S   SCARE. 

Secretary  "Welles,  of  the  United  States  Navy,  reports  Mr. 
Stanton,  Secretary  of  War,  as  saying  in  a  Cabinet  meeting, 


24  Southern  Historical  Society  Papers. 

called  in  consequence  of  the  destruction  of  the  Cumberland 
and  Congress  on  March  8th :  "  The  Merrimac  will  change 
the  whole  character  of  the  war.  She  will  destroy  seriatim 
every  naval  vessel.  She  will  lay  all  cities  of  the  seaboard 
under  contribution.  I  shall  immediately  recall  Burnside. . 
Port  Royal  must  be  abandoned.  I  will  notify  the.  Gov- 
ernors of  States,  and  the  municipal  authorities  jn  the  North 
to  take  instant  measures  to  protect  their  harbors.  He  had 
no  doubt  but  that  the  Merrimac  was  at  this  moment  on  her 
way  to  Washington,  and  not  unlikely  we  shall  have  a  shell 
or  cannon-ball  from  one  of  her  guns  in  the  White  House 
before  we  leave  this  room."  On  March  9th  Mr.  Stanton  tele- 
graphed "  the  Governors  of  New  York,  Massachusetts  and 
Maine  to  protect  their  harbors  with  large  timber  rafts  " — 
Rebellion  Records,  page  20,  series  1,  volume  I.  On  the 
same  date  General  McClellan  sent  telegrams  to  the  com- 
manding officers  at  New  York,  Newport,  New  London, 
Boston  and  Portland,  Maine,  to  the  same  effect.  Ad- 
miral Dahlgren  is  busy  at  Washington  having  twenty-four 
canal  boats  laden  with  stone  to  close  the  Potomac  river. 
General  McClellan  on  March  9th  sends  a  telegram  to 
General  Wool,  at  Fort  Monroe,  in  which,  foreseeing  the 
necessity  of  evacuating  Newport  News  in  the  event  the 
Merrimac  gains  possession  of  the  Roads,  he  consents  to  a 
withdrawal  of  the  garrison  to  Old  Point,  Rebellion 
Records,  page  23,  series  1,  volume  I.  March  10th  while 
openly  proclaiming  the  defeat  of  the  Merrimac  by  the 
Monitor  in  the  engagement  of  the  9th,  Secretary  Welles 
wins  the  Assistant-Secretary  of  the  Navy  at  Fort  Monroe, 
"The  President  directs  that  the  Monitor  be  not  too  much 
exposed  and  authorizes  vessels  laden  with  stone  to  be  sunk 
in  the  channel  of  Elizabeth  river  to  prevent  the  Merrimac 
from  again  coming  out." — Do.,  page  25.  As  late  as  the 
12th  General  McClellan  telegraphs  Assistant-Secretary 
Fox :  "  Can  I  rely  on  the  Monitor  to  keep  the  Merrimac  in 
check  so  that  I  can  make  '  Fort  Monroe  a  base  of  opera- 


TIi6  Merrimac  or  Virginia.  25 

tions  ?  '  " — Do.,  page  27.  The  same  date  General  Bar- 
nard, chief  of  engineers,  McClellan's  army,  wires  Assist- 
ant-Secretary Fox :  "  The  possibility  of  the  Merrimac 
appearing  again,  paralyzes  the  movements  of  this  army  by 
whatever  route  is  adopted."  Do.,  page  27.  The  climax  of 
absurdity  is,  however,  reached  when  Secretary-of-War  Stan- 
ton, passing  over  the  educated,  intelligent  and  skilled  co.rps 
of  naval  and  army  officers,  telegraphs  Mr.  C.  Vanderbilt, 
a  private  citizen  of  Xew  York,  the  owner  of  river  and  ocean 
steamers :  "  For  what  sum  will  you  contract  to  destroy 
the  Merrimac,  or  prevent  her  from  coming  out  from 
Xorfolk,  you  to  sink  or  destroy  her  if  she  gets  out? 
Answer  by  telegram,  as  there  is  no  time  to  be  lost." 
Do.,  page  31.  The  doughty  commodore  of  steamboats 
was  unequal  to  the  conundrum,  but  his  patriotism 
prompted  him  to  make  the  munificent  gift  of  the  large 
ocean  steamer  Yanderbilt  to  the  United  States  Government 
to  be  sacrificed,  if  necessary,  in  running  the  Merrimac 
down. 

GAGE  OF  BATTLE  OF  APRIL  11,  '62,  AXD  THE  FORLORX  HOPE. 

From  March  9th  to  April  11th  the  Merrimac  lay  at  the 
navy-yard.  New  guns  took  the  place  of  those  that  had 
been  destroyed,  and  a  supply  of  bolts  of  wrought  and 
chilled  iron  for  her  guns  was  put  aboard.  A  new  prow  of 
steel  and  wrought-iron  was  fitted  to  her  stem.  A  course 
of  two-inch  iron  for  one  hundred  and  eighty  feet  was  put 
on  her  hull  below  the  casemate.  The  revolution  of  the 
turret  of  the  Monitor,  which  effectually  closed  her  gun- 
port  when  the  gun  was  being  loaded,  suggested  the  neces- 
sity of  adopting  some  plan  to  protect  those  of  the  Merri- 
mac The  attempt  was  made  to  fit  them  with  wrought- 
iron  shutters,  but  the  device  was  not  satisfactory,  and  but 
few  of  her  ports  were  so  protected.  These  changes  brought 
the  ship  a  foot  deeper  in  the  water,  making  her  draught 
now  twenty-three  feet.     Commodore  Buchanan  being  still 


26  Southern  Historical  Society  I'ii/hts. 

disabled  by  his  wounds.  Commodore  Josiah  Tatnall  was 
placed  in  command.  There  was  at  no  time  any  question 
in  the  minds  of  the  Confederate  authorities,  or  amongst 
the  officers  of  the  Merrimac,  but  that  the  enemy  must  again 
be  offered  battle  at  the  earliest  moment.  On  April  1st 
the  Secretary  of  the  Confederate  Xavy  wrote  Commodore 
Tatnall :  "  You  will  leave  with  your  ship  and  attack  the 
enemy  when,  in  your  judgment,  it  may  seem  best."  On 
April  4th  J  "  Do  not  hesitate  or  wait  for  orders,  but  strike 
when,  how,  and  where  your  judgment  may  dictate."  The 
Secretary  of  the  United  States  Xavy  had,  on  March  10th, 
telegraphed :  "  The  President  directs  that  the  Monitor  be 
not  too  much  exposed."  in  the  same  breath  in  which  her 
victory  was  claimed. 

The  Confederate  Secretary  and  the  Confederate  naval 
officers  well  knew  the  many  defects  and  vulnerability  of 
the  Merrimac.  So  doubtful  were  we  of  success  in  the  next 
engagement  that  upon  certain  information  of  the  exterior 
and  interior  structure  of  the  Monitor,  which  Secretary 
Mallory  had  obtained,  we  organized  an  expidition  of  the 
smaller  gunboats  in  the  fleet — the  Beaufort,  Raleigh,  and 
two  others — known  as 

THE  "  FOKLOUX  HOPE." 

1  was  of  this  detail,  and  would  have  made  my  will  but 
that  I  had  no  property.  Each  of  the  gunboats  was  pro- 
vided with  a  large  anchor;  their  crews  were  divided  into 
three  squads  under  command  of  an  officer,  and  designated 
squads  1,  2,  and  3.  The  orders  were  that  if  the  Merrimac 
should  be  disabled  or  defeated,  each  steamer  was  to  make 
a  dash  for  the  Monitor,  drop  the  anchor  and  make  fast 
to  her,  so  as  to  hold  her  in  that  position.  The  detail  were 
then  to  board  her.  Xo.  1  was  to  throw  ignited  combusti- 
bles down  her  ventilators  and  every  opening,  and  cover 
them  over  with  tarpaulin;  Xo.  2  to  wedge  the  turret  to  pre- 
vent its  revolution:  Xo.  3  to  cover  the  pilot-house,"  smoke- 


The  Merrimac  or  Virginia.  27 

stack,  and  other  openings  with  wet  sail-cloth,  and  "  smoke 
the  rascals  out/'  at  it  were.  Our  calculation  was  that  one 
of  the  four  small  steamers  would  be  sure  to  get  alongside. 
There  was  to  be  no  stopping  to  help  those  disabled  or  sunk, 
and  as  each  had  a  crew  of  thirty  men  this  was  sufficient 
for  the  purpose.  If  the  occasion  had  been  offered,  the 
attempt  would  have  been  made  beyond  peradventure,  but  I 
have  never  yet  decided  whether  they  of  the  Monitor  or  we 
of  the  gunboats  were  the  more  fortunate  that  our  purpose 
was  not  put  to  the  experiment.  April  10,  1862,  the  Merri- 
mac, with  the  vessels  of  the  Norfolk  and  James  River  fleet, 
got  under  way  late  in  the  evening  and  anchored  inside  of 
Craney  Island  for  the  night,  to  make  an  early  start  the 
next  morning.  At  6  A.  M.  of  the  11th  we  were  under  way. 
The  sun  was  clear,  with  the  promise  of  a  beautiful  day. 
As  we  came  in  sight  of  Fort  Monroe  we  beheld  the  Eoads 
lined  with  a  large  fleet  of  transports,  making  a  scene  of 
beauty  that  is  but  rarely  granted  to  a  spectator.  In  a 
moment  a  sudden  movement  spread  through  the  entire 
merchant  fleet,  and  in  less  time  than  I  can  describe  it  each 
vessel  had  slipped  her  cable  and,  like  a  flock  of  wild  fowl 
in  the  act  of  flight,  spread  her  sails  in  the  race  for  safety. 

When  the  Merrimac  had  steamed  within  two  miles  of  the 
fort  we  plainly  made  out  the  Monitor,  the  iron  battery 
Naugatuck,  and  other  war  vessels  at  anchor  under  Fort 
Monroe.  The  French  war  vessels  Gassendi  and  Catinet 
and  English  Corvette  Rinaldo  were  visitors  in  the  Eoads  at 
the  time,  and  moved  up  towards  Newport  Xews  to  give  us 
a  clear  field.  The  Merrimac  steamed  around  in  a  large 
circle,  which  at  one  point  brought  her  within  one  and  one- 
half  miles  of  her  antagonists,  offering  battle  in  deep  water 
and  upon  their  own  ground — vain  endeavor ! 

SUCCESSFULLY  EXECUTED. 

After  an  hour  or  so  of  this  unprofitable  banter,  and  ob- 
serving no  movement  on  the  part  of  the  enemy.  Commo- 


28  Southern  Historical  Society  Papers. 

dore  Tatnall,  in  bravado  and  in  provocation  to  them,  sent 
the  Jamestown  and  Raleigh  into  Hampton  Bar  to  cut  out 
three  transports  that,  deeming  themselves  in  safety,  had  not 
moved  out  of  the  Roads  in  the  early  morning.  The  move- 
ment was  most  handsomely  and  successfully  executed  in 
the  presence  of  the  Monitor  and  the  Federal  fleet.  As  our 
ships  returned  with  their  captures  they  passed  near  the 
stern  of  the  English  Corvette  Rinaldo,  the  officers  and  crew 
of  which  waved  their  handkerchiefs  and  hats  in  salute.  We 
held  our  position  in  the  Roads  until  sundown,  and  at  night 
anchored  off  SewelPs  Point.  A  day  or  so  after  this  the 
Merrimac,  again  in  need  of  repairs,  went  up  to  Norfolk. 
During  the  forty-five  days  she  was  under  Commodore 
Tatnall's  command  there  were  but  thirteen  days  in  which 
she  was  not  in  dock  or  undergoing  necessary  repairs. 

GAGE  OF  BATTLE  MAY  8,  1862. 

In  consequence  of  the  advance  of  McClellan's  army  upon 
Richmond,  the  wooden  gunboats  of  the  James  River  and 
Norfolk  fleet,  in  the  latter  part  of  April,  were  ordered  to 
run  by  the  Federal  batteries  at  Newport  Xews  and  operate 
on  the  right  flank  of  General  Joseph  E.  Johnston.  This 
movement  was  accomplished  in  due  time  by  running  the 
batteries  at  night  and  without  disaster,  though  the  Beau- 
fort, in  making  the  attempt,  grounded  and  remained  just 
opposite  the  battery  in  easy  range  until  near  daybreak. 
Our  station  henceforth  being  the  James  river,  I  must  rely 
upon  contemporary  accounts  for  the  remaining  career  of 
the  Merrimac.  The  beleaguerment  of  Richmond,  in  the 
eyes  of  the  Confederate  Government,  necessitated  the  evac- 
uation of  Norfolk,  and  though  the  Merrimac,  now  alone, 
was  adequate  to  the  defence  of  Norfolk  on  the  water,  it 
was  possible  to  take  the  city  in  rear,  now  that  Johnston's 
army  was  concentrate!  at  Richmond,  by  landing  a  Strong 
Federal  force  on  tin-  bay  shore,  and  also  west  of  Craney 


The  Merrimac  or  Virginia.  29 

Island,  and  making  a  combined  attack  from  the  east  and 
west.  Valuable  stores  and  materials  were  yet  at  the  navy- 
yard,  and  General  Huger,  in  command  at  Norfolk,  was 
quietly  engaged  in  shipping  them  to  the  interior  by  river 
and  rail,  when  the  desertion  of  a  tug  boat  captain  in  the 
service  of  the  Confederacy  much  hastened  matters. 

Secretary  Mallory,  being  advised  of  the  probable  aban- 
donment of  Norfolk,  had  sent  Commodore  Hollins  to  that 
place  to  consult  with  Commodore  Tatnall,  and  such  other 
officers  as  might  be  selected,  as  to  the  best  disposition  to 
be  made  of  the  Merrimac  in  this  contingency.  The  con- 
ference was  arranged  for  May  8th,  but  on  that  morning 
the  Monitor,  Naugatuck,  and  other  United  States  vessels 
attacked  our  battery  at  SewelPs  Point.  The  Merrimac  got 
under  way  immediately  to  render  such  assistance  as  might 
be  needed.  Commodore  Tatnall's  acount  of  the  matter  is 
as  follows: 

"  Upon  getting  into  the  Roads  we  found  six  of  the  ene- 
mies' ships,  including  the  ironclads  Stevens,  Monitor,  and 
Naugatuck,  shelling  the  battery.  We  passed  the  battery 
and  stood  directly  for  the  enemy  to  engage  him,  and  I 
thought  an  action  certain,  particularly  as  the  Minnesota 
and  Vanderbilt,  which  were  anchored  below  Fort  Monroe, 
got  under  way  and  stood  up  to  that  point,  apparently  with 
the  intention  of  joining  their  squadron  in  the  Roads.  Be- 
fore we  got  within  gunshot  the  enemy  ceased  firing  and  re- 
tired with  all  speed  under  the  protection  of  the  guns  at  the 
fort,  followed  by  the  Merrimac  until  the  shells  from  the 
Rip  Raps  passed  over  us.  We  thereupon  returned  to  our 
anchorage  near  Sewell's  Point,  and  I  proceeded  to  Norfolk 
for  the  purposes  of  the  conference  called  for  this  day." 

Let  us  see  what  the  Federal  account  has  to  say  of  the 
affair.  Commodore  Goldsborough,  United  States  Navy, 
then  in  command  of  the  station  at  Fort  Monroe,  says : 

"  The  Monitor  had  orders  to  fall  back  into  fair  channel 
way,  and  only  to  engage  seriously  in  such  a  positon  that 


30  Southern  Historical  Society  Papers. 

this  ship,  together  with  the  merchant  vessels,  intended  for 
the  purpose,  could  run  her  (the  Merrimac)  down.  The 
other  vessels  were  not  to  hesitate  to  run  her  down,  and  the 
Baltimore,  an  unarmed  steamer  of  high  speed  and  curved 
bow,  was  kept  in  the  direction  of  the  Monitor,  especially 
to  throw  herself  across  the  Merrimac  forward  or  aft  of  her 
plated  casemate,  but  the  Merrimac  did  not  engage  the 
Monitor,  nor  did  she  place  herself  where  she  could  have 
been  assailed  by  our  rams  to  any  advantage."  Let  us  sum 
the  matter  up. 

SUMMING  UP. 

1.  On  the  9th  of  March,  the  only  occasion  upon  which 
the  Merrimac  and  Monitor  did  engage,  it-  is  in  evidence 
from  Federal  official  sources  that  the  Monitor  twice  retired 
from  the  engagement  of  the  day;  the  Merrimac  retired 
only  when  the  action  was  supposed  to  be  concluded. 

2.  On  April  11th  the  Merrimac,  in  presence  of  two 
French  and  one  English  war  vessel,  offered  the  Monitor 
and  the  Stevens  iron  battery  battle.  Then,  to  provoke 
them  to  accept  it,  cut  out  three  Federal  transports  almost 
under  their  guns,  but  without  bringing  them  to  issue. 

3.  On  May  8th  the  Merrimac  drove  the  Monitor,  Nau- 
gatuck,  and  six  other  United  States  war  vessels  from 
Sewell's  Point  to  within  one  and  a  half  miles  of  Fort  Mon- 
roe, and  seeing  no  disposition  to  engage  returned  to  anchor. 
On  this  occasion,  the  Federal  fleet  declined  the  action,  says 
Commodore  Goldsborough,  United  States  Navy,  "  because 
the  Merrimac  did  not  place  herself  in  deep  water,  nor  in 
a  position  of  advantage,"  to  be  attacked  by  the  Monitor, 
Xaugatuck,  Minnesota,  Illinois,  San  Jacinto,  and  to  be  run 
down  by  the  Baltimore,  Arajo.  Yanderbilt,  and  all  other 
vessels  that  might  be  on  hand  to  coach  the  Monitor.  The 
Merrimac  drew  twenty-three  feet  of  water,  and  with  the 
exception  of  the  Minnesota,  there  was  no  vessel  in  the 
Federal  fleet  that  drew  as  much  as  fifteen  feet.     Moreover, 


The  Merrimac  or  Virginia.  31 

they  claimed  the  superiority  of  the  Monitor  over  the  Merri- 
mac— a  fact  we  admitted  then,  and  admit  now.  Comment 
is  unnecessary.  Like  Jack  Bunsby,  let  us  say :  "  The 
bearings  of  this  observation  lays  in  the  application  on  it/' 
and  dismiss  the  subject  with  the  "observation"  of  the 
Marquis  of  Montrose — 

"  He   either  fears   his   fate   too   much, 
Or  his  deserts  are  small 
That  dares  not  put  in  to  the  touch, 
To  gain  or  lose  it  all." 

THE  DESTRUCTION"  OF  THE   MERRIMAC  BY  THE   CON- 
FEDERATES. 

The  conference  in  Norfolk  of  May  9  th  as  to  the  disposal 
of  the  Merrimac  had  resulted  in  the  decision  that  "  the 
Merrimac  was  then  employed  to  best  advantage,  and  that 
she  should  continue  for  the  present  to  protect  Norfolk,  and 
thus  afford  time  to  remove  the  public  property."  Commo- 
dore Tatnall  upon  this  joined  his  ship,  at  anchor  near 
Sewell's  Point.  On  May  10th,  about  10  A.  M.,  it  was 
observed  that  no  Confederate  flag  was  flying  at  Sewell's 
Point  battery  and  that  the  fort  seemed  to  be  abandoned. 
Flag-Lieutenant  J.  Pembroke  Jones  was  immediately  sent 
to  Craney  Island,  and  there  learned  for  the  first  time  that 
a  large  force  of  the  enemy  had  landed  at  Bay  Shore  and 
were  rapidly  marching  on  Norfolk,  and  that  our  troops 
were  retreating.  Lieutenant  Jones  was  then  sent  to  Nor- 
folk to  confer  with  General  Huger,  in  command  at  that 
place,  and  with  Captain  Sidney  S.  Lee  at  the  navy-yard. 
At  the  navy-yard  he  found  everything  in  flames,  and  that 
all  the  officers  had  left  on  the  railroad.  At  Norfolk  he  was 
informed  that  General  Huger  and  all  his  officers  had  left 
and  that  the  enemy  were  within  half  a  mile  of  the  city  in 
treaty  with  the  mayor  for  its  surrender.  About  7  P.  M. 
'  he  reached  the  Merrimac  witli  his  report,  and  at  this  hour 


32  Southern  Historical  Society  Papers. 

all  the  batteries  on  the  river  and  Craney  Island  had  been 
abandoned  by  our  troops.  The  night  was  fast  approach- 
ing, and  what  was  to  be  done  must  be  done  quickly.  It 
had  been  decided  previously  that  the  Merrimac  could  ac- 
complish nothing  in  York  river  by  reason  of  its  width 
and  many  creeks  of  refuge.  The  ascent  of  the  Potomac 
to  Washington,  except  in  good  weather,  was  impracticable. 
A  venture  outside  the  capes  was  an  impossibility.  Battle 
with  the  Federal  fleet  in  the  Roads  on  their  own  terms 
gave  no  encouragement.  It  had  been  previously  declined, 
and  now,  with  our  base  of  supplies  in  the  hands  of  our 
enemies,  they  had  but  to  keep  out  of  our  way  and  ten  days 
or  a  week  would  bring  the  crew  of  the  Merrimac  face  to 
face  with  starvation  and  capitulation. 

In  the  emergency  and  under  the  assurance  of  the  pilots 
that  if  the  ship  were  lightened  to  eighteen  feet  she  could 
be  carried  to  within  forty  miles  of  Richmond.  Commo- 
dore Tatnall  called  his  crew  to  quarters,  and  informed  them 
of  his  purpose.  "With  a  cheer  they  set  to  work  to  lighten 
ship,  dumping  overboard  all  heavy  stones,  ballasf,  and  pig- 
iron  which  had  been  put  aboard  to  bring  her  down  in  the 
water  to  fighting  trim.  Commodore  Tatnall  being  unwell 
had  retired  to  rest.  Between  1  and  2  A.  M.  of  the  11th, 
he  as  aroused  by  Lieutenant  Ap.  Catesby  Jones,  with  the 
report  that  after  the  crew  had  been  at  work  some  five 
hours  and  had  lightened  the  ship  so  as  to  expose  her  hull 
and  render  her  unfit  for  action,  the  pilots  now  said  the 
ship  could  not  be  carried  with  eighteen  feet  above  James- 
town Flats.  Some  distance  above  this  point  the  river  was 
in  possession  of  the  enemy  on  both  banks.  Tatnall  de- 
manded of  his  pilots  the  reason  for  their  deception  or 
change  of  opinion.  They  replied  eighteen  feet  could  be 
carried  over  Jamestown  Flats  during  the  prevalence  of 
easterly  winds,  but  as  the  wind  had  been  westerly  for  sev- 
eral days  they  were  unwilling  to  make  the  attempt. 

The  wooden  hull  was  now  above  water  and  entirelv  de- 


The  Merrimac  or  Virginia.  33 

fenceless  against  shot  and  shell.  Her  ballast  had  been 
thrown  overboard,  and  nothing  was  at  hand  to  bring  her 
down  in  the  water  again.  To  engage  the  Federal  fleet  was 
now  hopeless  and  shorn  of  every  prospect  of  success.  The 
attempt  must  meet  with  certain  destruction  and  great 
sacrifice  of  life. 

BURNED. 

A  hasty  conference  with  his  officers  decided  Tatnall  that 
the  wisest  course  now  open  to  him  was  to  abandon  and  burn 
his  ship  and  save  his  crew  for  service  in  Eichmond.  She 
was,  therefore,  put  on  shore  as  near  Craney  Island  as  possi- 
ble, and  having  but  two  boats  it  took  three  hours  to  land 
her  crew.  She  was  set  fire  to  fore  and  aft,  and  was  soon 
in  full  blaze.  At  about  4.30  o'clock  on  the  morning  of 
the  11th  of  May,  1862,  her  magazine  exploded,  and  the 
Merrimac  was  a  thing  of  the  past.  In  the  blaze  of  the 
burning  vessel  the  crew  were  marched  to  Suffolk,  twenty- 
two  miles  distant,  where  they  took  train  for  Eichmond, 
arriving  there  in  time  to  render  valuable  service  in  our  land 
batteries  at  Drury's  Bluff,  where  they  had  the  pleasure  of 
again  meeting  arid  foiling  their  old  adversaries,  the  Moni- 
tor, Galena,  and  other  United  States  vessels  in  their  attack 
on  Drury's  Bluff,  May  15,  1862. 

The  success  and  the  fame  of  the  Merrimac  had  far. out- 
reached,  in  the  imagination  of  the  Southern  people,  her 
real  capacity.  .  The  disappointment  and  indignation  of 
the  public,  and  the  criticism  of  our  press,  were  so  vehement 
in  their  condemnation  of  Commodore  Tatnall  that  he 
promptly  requested  a  court  of  inquiry,  and  then  a  court- 
martial  upon  his  conduct.  After  a  full  and  exhaustive 
examination  of  all  the  particulars  he  was  awarded  an 
unanimous  acquittal.  The  court,  composed  of  a  board  of 
twelve  officers  of  the  highest  rank  and  with  the  experience 
of  many  years'  service,  closed  its  finding  in  those  words: 

HONORABLE  ACQUITTAL. 

"  Being  thus  situated,  the  only  alternative  in  the  opinion 


34  Southern  Historical  Society  Papers. 

of  the  court  was  to  abandon  and  burn  the  ship  then  and 
there,  which,  in  the  judgment  of  this  court,  was  deliberately 
and  wisely  done;  wherefore,  the  court  do  award  to  the  said 
Captain  Josiah  Tatnall  an  honorable  acquittal." 

The  Merrimae  and  the  Monitor  came  upon  the  stage  of 
action  at  the  same  time,  and  the  close  of  their  career  was 
not  far  apart.  They  suggest  the  parallel  made  between 
the  lives  of  two  ancient  warriors.  It  cannot  be  said, 
"  They  were  lovely  and  pleasant  in  their  lives,"  but  "  in 
their  death  they  were  not  divided." 

At  daybreak  of  December  29,  1862,  the  Monitor,  under 
convoy  of  the  United  States  steamer  Rhode  Island,  left 
Fort  Monroe  bound  for  Charleston,  South  Carolina.  At 
noon,  December  30th,  when  at  sea,  about  seventy  miles  off 
Cape  Hatteras,  they  got  into  a  heavy  gale.  At  10  P.  M., 
matters  having  become  critical  and  it  being  imposible  to 
keep  the  Monitor  free  of  the  water  that  came  aboard  with 
every  sea,  signals  of  distress  were  burned.  Gallant  and 
untiring  efforts  of  rescue  were  made  by  the  Rhode  Island, 
and  one  of  her  boats  was  on  its  third  and  last  perilous  trip 
to  remove  those  still  aboard  the  Monitor  when  the  ill-fated 
vessel  suddenly  disappeared  beneath  the  angry  waters,  car- 
rying down  with  her«four  officers  and  twelve  men,  forty- 
nine  having  been  saved.  This  boat  failed  to  reach  the 
Monitor  or  regain  the  side  of  the  Rhode  Island,  but  drifted 
all  night  and  the  next  day  upon  the  waste  of  water,  until 
rescued  by  a  passing  vessel  and  taken  into  "Philadelphia. 

We  live  within  a  new  environment.  The  Merrimac  and 
the  Monitor  are  things  of  the  past;  but  history  shall  note 
their  deeds  when  the  names  of  those  who  bore  part  in  them 
shall  be  remembered. 

Yirginius  Xewton, 

Late  a  Midshipman,  C.  S.  Navy. 


